Ironing machine



-Aprill 3Q, M35. P. A. BAYLESS IRONING MACHINE 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20 ATTOENEYS 19 39971 1935. P. A. BAYLESS 3,999,532

IRONING MACHINE Filed March 20, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 b; [Pu/672502 ATTOQNESYS A ril M, 11935 P. A. BAYLESS IRONING MACHINE 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March '20 Bar/9 m will w, m. P. A. BAYLIESS' WWW IRONING MACHINE MM/WW A TOEKJEYJ April 3Q, 1935. P. A. BAYLESS IRONING- MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 20, 1930 B/WL sss 141-raxewsws- April 3%, 1%. P. A. EAYLESS 1199999532 IRONING MACHINE Filed March 20, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNETEE STATES PATENT OFFICE moms MACHINE Patrick A. Bayless, Minneapolis, Minn. Application March 29, 1930, Serial No. 437,399

15 Claims.

chines. Among the objects of the invention are:

to provide the maximum of ironing surface, in a machine of minimum size; to eliminate ironing rolls and therefore eliminate gearing which operates these rolls; to provide more ventilation for the padding; to avoid the use of strings for.

holding the goods in fiat condition as it passes through the ironer; to provide means whereby padding can be moved away from the steam chest when the machine is not in use; and to eliminate noise, as result of substantial reduction in amount of transmission, gearing, etc. 7

In the principal makes of machines of this class, the working surface of the steam chest is provided with depressions with which the padded rolls cooperate. The radius of curvature of the depressions is greater than that of the radius of the rolls so that there is a substantial reduction in the area of contact between the roll or rolls, and the steam chest. In the present device, one hundred per cent contact is obtained between the padding, goods, and steam chest.

A feature of the invention includes ventilating means for the padding whereby it is not burned, this means includes perforated slat-like structures as backing for the padding. Another feature is the use of slats which, in their movement around sprocket wheels, act to work the padding and keep it soft. This hardening is due to continuous rolling pressures without suficient ventilation. In other devices, the padding has to be frequently removed and fluiied up by tumbling machines. The hardening of padding conditions it for burning. In the present device, hardening and burning are substantially eliminated.

The present device is practically noiseless because no pressing rolls are used, and the roll gearing, and bearings therefor which were arranged so that compensation for expansion and contraction could take place, are, of course, no longer necessary. The present device provides means for insulating the steam chest so that the heat transmission to the frame is practically eliminated.

Features of the invention include, along with the broader ideas of means, all the details of construction. a

Advantages willbe set forth in the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings Figure lis a side elevation of one embodiment (o1. (is-9 of the invention with parts broken away to show portions of' the interior structure;

Figure 2 is aplan view corresponding to Fig ure 1 with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a substantially central vertical longitudinal section;

Figure 4 is a transverse section substantially on line 5- l of Figure 1 illustrating the details of the driving mechanism;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Figure .1 illustrating the arrangement of. the ironing means adjusting mechanism;

Figure 6 is a vertical section on line 6--6 of Figure 1 illustrating a portion of the adjusting mechanism .for the delivery apron, (as distinguished from the ironing aprons); and

Figure '7 is a plan section taken approximately on line l'i of Figure 5, further illustrating the arrangement of the driving and apron adjusting mechanisms.

The machine includes two side frame members, see Figure 45, respectively generally indicated i and 2, and these frames are suitably cross-connected by upper and lower series of tie and truss members respectively designated 3fi. Mounted between these frames and providing upper and lower plane surfaces, is a steam chest :1 suitably secured as by bolting to brackets 8. Interposed between the brackets 8 and the extension 9 of the chest is non-heat conducting material ill, the function of which is to reduce to the minimum heat conduction from the steam chest to the frame. The upper and lower horizontal surfaces of the steam chest, see Figure 3, are respectively indicated I2I3. At one end of the chest these surfaces merge into a curved portion l5, whereby goods to be ironed may be continuously fed. along the upper surface I2, then around the curved end surface and downwardly and against the lower surface l3. The feed and ironing pressure is obtained by endless flat'surfaced padded belt-like means, or aprons, later to be described. At the opposite end of the steam chest, the bottom surface l3 iscurved as at E6 to direct the goods downwardly around the lower ironing apron. The curved portion It is concentric with the axis of shaft 53 of the lower ironing apron. A suitable drain opening ll is also provided for the steam chest and the steam is introduced at one end at IS' and is discharged at the opposite end at l8. It is assumed that steam supply means is provided, although not actually shown.

One of the main features of this invention is the use of an endless apron-like padded ironing channels which cross-connect the chains element for moving the goods along the face of the steam chest. Another feature is the use of two such elements arranged to move the goods along one face of the chest in one direction and then continue motion or the goods along the opposite face of the chest in an opposite direction, so the goods is substantially maintained in flat condition'throughout the ironing period. After the goods has been ironed, it is received by endless apron, herein called the delivery apron to distinguish it from the ironing aprons above referred to. The goods is, by means of this apron, ejected from the machine during travel in th same direction in which it entered the machine,

and this discharge, therefore, takes place at that end of the machine opposite the point at which it was introduced into the machine.

By the use of the belt-like pad-carrying elements, a plane surface feed is provided in a straight line, and as the result, there are no pleats or corner turnovers, heretofore caused by the goodshitting rolls or cylinders. The provision of a straight line feed over plane surfaces makes for easy spreading and straightenin of the goods. The pressure is applied evenly over the entire surface of the steam chest during ironing, and there is no part of the goods which is not under pressure during the ironing operation, and constantly under'pressure. The goods are, therefore, ironed dry, instead of being partly ironed dry and partly dried by exposure to the atmosphere, as when they pass from one roller to the next in the cylinder type of machine.

Another advantage is that the same kind of contact is obtained at the under surface of the steam as at the upper. Before describing the endless belt-like padded elements which perform the ironing operation and move the goods, it is to be noted, see Figure 3, that both upper and lower surfaces of the steam chest are used, and that the goods has substantially a continuous contact throughout a very much more 'extended ironing period. Another advantage is that but one delivery apron is needed, as against two required in cylinder or roll type machines.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4: The movable pressing element has the form of a frame-supported endless belt or apron including four sprocket chains 28 driven by sprocket wheels 55 mounted on shafts Ell -23 arranged above the steam chest, one at each opposite end. Shaft is driven in a manner to be described. The body of the apron or working portion is formed by slatlilre elements 32, formed to obtain the desired stillness, and in this instance having the form of Each channel element 32 has a terminal turned portion which forms one of the links of the chain, the usual pivots 2 being used; The slatlike channel elements are perforated as at see Figure 2, to provide for pad ventilation, and may be spaced apart as at 26 to increase ventilatin ability. The spaces are somewhat exaggerated in the drawings and preferablywill not be as proportionately great as there shown. Moreover, air may pass laterally and horizontally between the runs of the endless pad-carrying element so that ample ventilation, to prevent over-heating, is provided for. Qne of the channel-like elements, see Figure 3 designated 2? is formed to provide a pocket in which one end of an endless pad 29 is aranged asshown. The pad term secured by means of a series of suitable and passing through a suitable pressure-apply ing strip 35. The opposite end of the endless pad is arranged on top of the strip 39 and is secured by cementing or otherwise appropriately fastened, so that a smooth continuous surface is tached to the channel elements 32. Shafts 2223 are each mounted (see Figure l) in suitable bearing blocks adapted to slide vertically in Ways of the frame members i and 2. The bearing blocks are suitably connected to channel irons 33 which form part of the frame structure of the ironing apron. By th'euse of the sliding blocks, the ironing apron and its supporting structure can be bodily adjusted with reference to the ironing surface ii! of the steam chest l, so that the pressure be varied as well as the distances between these surfaces, according to the character of the goods being ironed. Other blocks or nuts also arranged in vertical guides form part of the apr n ing mechanism, later to be described.

In order that the padding be maintained in strictly condition during the ironing operation, and in substantial parallelism with the working is "e E2 of t3 I the lnlzs of the chain ride (see '5). These tracks ill are four in n "number, corres ending to the number of chains.

The tracks are in the form of straight-edged plates, and each has a series of elongated ventilating openings H. Thus, the structure which forms a carrier for the ironing pad is an open structure permitting the maximum of free circuiation of air at opposite face sides of both runs of the pad, and thus substantially preventing burning of the padd'ng, or conditioning of it to be burned. The ch nels 35 are cross-cor looted by m ans of bars or tie rods which rods support chain tracks The lower iro g apron 32 has substantially the same construction as the upper, and its upper run cooperates with the under surface of the team chest, to perform the ironing operation.

The lower iron-er see Figures 3 and l) is oprate" by sprockets 56-435 carried by shafts The slat-like channel elements are indicated at and the chains at 55. Referring to Figure it i 1 be noted that the shaft 52 is at a level above she is to bring the upper run of the carrier 11 I -ly to a position to receive th goods from the pper ironing apron and g' ide i around the curve: portion '65 of the chest and dowrnvardly into the upper run of the lower ironing means The frame members of the lower ir nor are indicated at and shafts 52-53 are cour e journaled these channel elements see Figure passes through journal (corresponding to journal blocks these blocks are adapted to move vertically in guides as. The haft 52 (see Figure 3) is not in blocks similar to block 58 but is only e chest, tracks are provided stantially exactly the same" as. for the upper, and the leveling elements, or chain tracks, t3, see Figure 5, are also provided and these elements have the series of ventilating openings $4... permitting horizontal ventilation between the runs of the apron. Tie rods. 66', see Figures 3 and 5, cross-connect elements 56-. and: support. the level tracks 63.

The curved surface it. directs the goods downwardly toward the delivery apron now to be de-. scribed. Before describing the apron. structure, it is. to be noted that only a single apron is required because of the nature of the. present invention, Heretofore, it has been necessary to deliver the goods between two delivery aprons, but by the use of this invention, the lower run of; the lower ironing means takes the place of the run of one of the aprons and the upper run. of; a single apron cooperates with this lower run to feed the goods to point of, ejectment after ironing. The apron structure is best shown in Figures 3 and 5, and includes two side frames indicated at El, see Figure 5, suitably cross-connected and'trussed as at 63, see Figure, 3. Mounted betweenthese frames are rollers respectively designated 89, i0, H, 752 and i3 which support an endless belt 14 having its upper run adapted to engage and cooperate with the lower run of the lower ironing element to feed the goods, after ironing, to point of ejectment from the machine.

It is one of the valuable features of this invention that the ironers, that is the two endless apron-like elements which perform the ironing operation, can be bodily micrometrically adjusted with reference to the surfaces of the steam chest and can be withdrawn from these surfaces a substantial distance when the machine is not in use, to prevent over-heating of the padding. The adjustment of only two ironing elements is here necessary, as distinguished from the separate adjustment of each of a plurality of rolls; heretofore necessary. Moreover, the adjustment of one delivery apron only is necessary herein, while the old types of fiat-work ironers at least two delivery aprons had to be used, and adjusted. Before showing how the various elements of the machine are driven, the structure by which the elements can be adjusted will be first described, along with the structure by which the delivery apron is supported. Referring first to Figure 5, which is a vertical section on. line 5-5 of Figure 1: Blocks 32 are attached to the channel elements 36 of the upper ironing apron support. These blocks or nuts are in threaded engagement with vertically arranged shafts 83, rotatably, but non-translatably,

mounted in suitable bearings of the side frames l and 2. There are pairs of shafts 83, a pair on each side frame, and these shafts are also in threaded engagement with nuts or blocks 84 carried by angle irons 55 corresponding to the lower ironing apron support. Thus, the frames for the upper and lower ironing aprons are capable of vertical adjustment by means of the screws. The blocks or nuts 82-8 l. are vertically guided as at df ill.

The threads of the shafts 83 are so arranged as to move the ironing aprons, either toward or away from. one another and to maintain the padding surfaces in parallel relation with the corresponding working surfaces of the steam chest. The pressure may be varied at will and moreover less pressure applied according to the character of the goods. It is to be noted that proper pressure means better finish of the goods.

By the practice of this invention, the proper spacings and pressures can be quickly and ac-. curately varied.

Referring to Figure 5: The delivery apron Hi, which is mounted upon the frame elements 31 is supported by means of stub shafts 9?, four in number, in threaded engagement with blocks 98 carried by the frames til. The shafts are rotataloly but non-translatably supported in suitable hanger frames generally indicated at 8.9; and including vertical extensions which connect with the channel irons 5% of the supporting frame for the lower ironing apron. The frames 99 are preferably connected together by means not herein shown, such as. crossed truss. rods. The rotation of the threaded shafts ill by appropri-. ate mechanism now to be described gives a vertical micrometric adjustment of the feed apron with respect to the ironing apron. The upper surface of the upper run of the delivery apron, and the lower surface of the pad of the lower run of the ironing apron are, of course, maintained in strict parallelism for all adjusted 130311 tions.

Shafts El are simultaneously rotated, and, of course, the pitch and direction of the threads is such as to always move the apron so that an even pressure can be maintained through out the entire surface of its upper run. Eeferring to Figure 6, and to Figure '7 which is a plan section on line l--'? of Figure 5: the 10W? er ends of two of the shafts 9? are provided with worm gears it, while the lower ends of the other two shafts are provided with bevel gears its. The worm gears the mesh with cor responding worm gears it? of operating shaft We provided with operating handle Hi}. This shaft is suitably journaled in bearings provided by the frame of which elements el are a part. Shaft its carries bevel gears H2, meshing with bevel gears H3 carried by cross shafts 1M, having at the opposite ends bevel gears H5 meshing with corresponding bevel gears [56. By rotation of shaft I69, all screw shafts 9-! will be simultaneously rotated to correspondingly vertically adjust the delivery apron. The delivery apron and its support move in unison with the support for the lower ironing apron, and therefore, when the ironing apron is lowered the delivery apron is lowered. However, the delivery apron can be easily and quickly adjusted independently of the ironing apron.

Referring to Figures 4 and "1': The main drive shaft for the machine is shown at I29 and is provided with a suitable power pulley l2l. shaft E253 is suitably journaled in the side frames l and 2, and has keyed thereto two bevel gears E22 meshing with corresponding bevel gears 523 of vertical shafts me. These vertical shafts are journaled in the bracket bearing blocks 3.4, and 58 which slide in the vertical ways 3t-59, which bearing blocks also carry the shaft 22. Carried by each bracket is a gear 925 suitably held by the bracket for rotation but against translation by means not herein shown. These gears are splined to the shafts 626 as at are. Meshing with the gears l25 are corresponding gears I28 of shaft 22. The bearing blocks 58 of the lower ironing apron have corresponding bevel gears l3!) connected for rotation but not for translation by means not shown, and these gears are also splined to the shafts 12 5 as at 53L Meshing with the gears 13%; are bevel gears i32 carried by one shaft 53. It is evident that ironing apron drive The' can be maintained for all adjusted positions of both aprons.

Power shaft E28 also furnishes power for operating the threaded shafts to raise and lower he ironing means supporting frames. Referring to Figure 5, it will be seen that whenever the shafts 53 are rotated, the ironing apron supporting frames will be moved. in unison, either in a direction away from one another and the steam chest, or toward one another and toward steam chest, and the delivery apron will follow the motion of the lower ironing apron.

In order to utilize the power through shaft E26 to operate the apron raising and lowering means, it is necessary that a clutch be used which is normally unclutched, in other Words which will idle during the operation of the machine and at all times except when adjustment is necessary. Referring to Figure 7: Clutch supporting frame E35 is attached to the side frame I. In this frame is journaled a shaft 53% (shown in dotted lines in Figure 1) and to this shaft is attached a sprocket 8%, see Figure 7, connected by a suitable chain !38 with a sprocket ESQ of the shaft 929?. Journaled in the bracket 35 and in the frame I, is another shaft l-iil having keyed thereto bevel gears l -12 meshing with corresponding bevel gears i 33 carried by cross shafts i also see Figure 5. Cross shafts M4 are provided with bevel gears Hi6 meshing with corresponding bevel gears M"! of the vertical screw shafts 83. Referring now to Figure 7, shaft l iil has a clutch member 558 splined thereto, and this member is alternately clutchable with gears l5li52 loosely rotative upon shaft l iil, and in mesh with the gear E58.

The clutch operates in the usual manner when thrown in clutch with gear 555 the shaft M3 is rotated in one direction and when thrown in clutch with gear 952, the same shaft is rotated in an opposite direction and the rotation of screw shafts 83 correspondingly reversed. The clutch is operatedby a lever in turn operated by hand. rod which is terminated by knob arranged adjacent the lever i ii) at the receiving end of the machine.

Referring now to Figures 2' and 3: The goods initially fed into the machine over a series of belts 85? operating on suitable rollers carried by shafts lEl-l62, the shafts being driven in a manner to be described. The goods carried by the belts lilil is carried beneath a feed roll 2 5d mounted on a suitable shaft Q driven in a manner to be described. It will be noted at this point that the goods is fed in a straight line to the top surface of the steam chest and straight away to a point between this top surface and the lower surface of the padding of the ironing apron. This straight line fee-d eliminates pleats and corner turn-overs, which were ori inally caused by the goods hitting a roll or cylinder. Another point is that no strings are required to hold the goods at any time, and thus the marking of the work by the strings is avoided.

The drive for the preliminary feed mechanism including shafts i62-l65 is as follows: Referring to Figures 2 and l, a sprocket wheel its is provided on shaft 22, and a chain l connects this wheel with the corresponding wheel 555% on the roll shaft 65. A bevel gear lei-3 is rotatably, but non-translatably, mounted upon a bracket of side frame l, as shown, and this gear is keyed as at ill to shaft I24. Now referring to Figure 1: This gear meshes with the corresponding gear N2 of a horiontal shaft H3, suitably journaled at the outer side of frame I. The opposite end of this shaft I13 has a bevel gear I'M in mesh with the corresponding bevel gear I15 of the shaft 62. In this way the initial feed belts and roll are properly driven to feed the'goods between the lower surface of the pad of the ironing apron and the upper surface of the steam chest.

The straight feed is a valuable feature, because by the time the Work has reached the end of the steam chest and engages the lower padoarrying belt, it has been polished or finished or ironed, and is stiff and dry and, therefore, no fold-over can take place.

In the old devices, two aprons are ordinarily employed and their opposed runs should be driven at equal speed to get the proper feed without wrinkling. This is a difficult matter. If they are not driven at the same speed there results a pleating or ruflling of the work. In the present device the apron merely supports the work from beneath and screw-adjustment causes application of proper pressure to maintain frictional contact between the padding of the lower ironer, the goods and. the apron, to move the supporting or delivery apron with the goods. Another objection to the use of an apron for driving, is that it becomes slack. It is made of ordinary canvas. The apron of the present invention is not in contact with any heated element. 1

Although the screw means for adjusting the ironing instrumentalities have been shown as adapted to simultaneously adjust, these elements, and although the carrier apron is shown as movable with the lower ironer means, it will be understood that there is no intention to be limited to the exact construction or the exact manner of adjusting. Although it is desirable to simultaneously move the ironing'aprons in opposite direotions away from respective ironing faces of the chest yet it is conceivable that means may be providedfor the separate and independent adjustment of each ironing element. Although the delivery apron or work carrier is now mounted to move with the frame which carries the lower ironing belt, yet it is conceivable that this feed apron may be mounted for independent adjustment, and so that it Will not move in unison with the frame of this lower ironing belt.

The straight line feed provided by the upper runs of the belts 559, the upper surfaces of which are coplanar with the upper surface of the steam chest, is an important feature. The goods is thus fed in one plane. The padded roll IE4 has a peripheral speed a little greater than the feed belts H63, and thus the goods is straightened before it reaches the ironing point. This is an important feature and is claimed.

I claim as my invention:

LA flat work ironer including a steam chest, belt-like padded friction ironing means adapted to iron the gods by moving it across the face of the chest, a second belt-like padded friction ironing means adapted to receive the goods and iron it in the same manner across the opposite face of the chest, a delivery apron adapted to receive the goods from the second ironing means'after ironing, means for adjusting the ironing means toward and away from the chest whereby the degree of frictional contact may be varied, and m ans by which the apron is caused to move toward and away from the chest with the second ironing means during'adjustment.

A fiat work ironer including a steam chest, an ironing apron adapted to iron the goods by Located moving it across the face of the chest, a second ironing apron adapted to receive the goods and iron it in the same manner across the opposite face of the chest, and a delivery apron adapted to receive the goods from the second ironing apron, after ironing, and support it, means for supporting the aprons, means for adjusting them, and connections by which the delivery apron is supported for adjustment with or independently of the second ironing apron.

S. A flat work ironer having a steam chest, an ironing apron adapted to iron the goods by moving it across the face of the chest, a second ironing apron adapted to receive the goods and iron it by moving it across the opposite face of the chest, a delivery apron adapted to receive the goods from the second ironing apron and support and move it after ironing, and means adapted to adjust each ironing apron with respect to the working faces of the steam chest.

4. A device of the class described. including a flat steam chest, a padding covered belt-like means for moving the goods along one face of the chest and applying pressure thereto, similar pad-covered belt like means adapted to receive and continue motion of the goods along the opposite face of the chest, the structure of each belt-like means including slat-like elements arranged transversely to the line of movement and upon which the padding is mounted, and means extending in direction of feed and engaging the slats to hold them in fiat or coplanar relation in the chest-engaging area.

5. A flat ironer including a steam chest and means for heating it, said steam chest having opposingly arranged plane faces, a belt-like padded apron having one run engageable with one face of the chest in a manner to feed and iron the goods, a second belt-like padded apron having its upper run arranged to engage the opposite face of the steam chest and adapted to receive the goods and iron and continue motion thereof along the bottom face of the chest and a third belt-like carrier arranged below said second apron adapted to receive the goods and feed it to a point outside of the machine and means adapted to bodily move the belt-like padded aprons toward and away from the chest, and to move the carrier toward and away from one of the aprons.

6. A flat ironer'including a steam chest and means for heating it, said steam chest having opposite faces, a belt-like padded apron having one run engageable with one face of the chest in a manner to feed and iron the goods, a second belt-like padded apron having its upper run arranged to engage the opposite face of the steam chest and adapted to receive the goods and continue motion thereof along the bottom face of the chest and iron it, a belt-like carrier arranged below said second apron and adapted to receive the goods and feed it to a point outside of the machine, means for adjusting the aprons, and means whereby said carrier is moved with the second apron when the latter is adjusted.

'7. A device of the class described including a steam chest, padded belt means for moving the goods along one face of the chest, additional padded belt means adapted to receive and continue motion of the goods along the opposite face of the chest, and means for bodily moving both padded belt means toward and away from the steam chest.

8. A device of the class described including a steam chest, an ironing apron having padding thereon adapted to feed goods across one face of the chest, a second ironing apron having padding thereon and adapted to receive and continue feeding of the goods across another face of the chest, a carrier adapted to receive the goods from the last mentioned apron af er ironing, the said carrier being mounted to move with the second apron, and means for simultaneously adjusting the ironing apron and carrier toward and away from said steam chest, and additional means for adjusting the cairier toward and away from said second apron independently of the ironing means. i

9. In a laundry machine, a fixed steam chest having a flat pressing surface, endless pressing means movable during a pressing operation and comprising spaced rigid backing means covered with a padding which padding is cooperative with the goods on the pressing surface for performing an ironing operation, and continuous means acting on the backing means by which every portion of the padding in the ironing zone is maintained in constant pressure ironing relation with the goods on the pressing surface throughout the ironing operation.

10. In a laundry machine, a steam chest having a flat pressing surface, endless pressing means cooperative with the pressing surface for performing an ironing operation, said endless means including link chains cross-connected by slats adapted to form ventilators, padding supported by and engaging the slats and cooperative with the pressing surface, and means cooperating with that portion of the endless pressing means which is opposed to the pressing surface to maintain a strictly coplanar relation of the slats and therefore of the padding throughout the entire pressing area, whereby pressure in the pressing zone is constant throughout the entire area.

11. A device of the class described including a flat surfaced steam chest, pressure ironing means cooperative with the fiat surface for an ironing operation and comprising belt-like elements and means for driving them, adjustable means supporting the driving means, slats cross-connecting the belt-like elements, means for holding the slats in coplanar relation to provide a flat surface opposed to the flat surface of the chest, endless padding covering the slats, and means for moving the driving means supporting means and slat-holding means bodily toward and away from the chest to correspondingly move the pressure ironing means to vary the pressure on the goods.

12. A flat work ironer including a steam chest, a first endless ironing means above the chest adapted to iron the goods by moving it across one face of the chest, and comprising sprocket chains and means for driving them, slats cross-connecting the chains, means for causing those slats which are opposed to the working face of the chest to be kept in parallel relation with said face, a second endless ironing means substantially identically similar to the first, and below the chest in opposition to a lower face thereof, and means for synchronizing the movements of the ironing means to cause the goods to be ironed on the upper surface of the chest and be delivered for a similar ironing operation on the bottom surface of the chest, and means below the second ironing means and cooperable therewith to receive the ironed goods and deliver it in fiat condition to that end of the chest opposite the end at which the goods was introduced to the first ironing means.

13. A device of the class described including a steam chest, a padding-covered belt-like means for moving the goods along one face of the chest and applying pressure thereto, the structure of said belt-like means including slat-like elements arranged transversely to the line of movement and upon which the padding is mounted, and means extending transversely to the slat-like elements and efiective upon the slat-like elements to hold all of them against motion in a direction away from the chest, in the ironing zone.

14. A device of the class described including a steam chest, endless pressure ironing means cooperative with the steam chest for an ironing operation and adapted to feed the goods during ironing, and including belt-like elements and closely spaced irons cross-connecting the belt-like elements, means acting on the irons in the pressing zone to hold them all against movement away from the goods and working surface of the chest,

endless padding covering the irons and means for supporting said endless means, and means for adjusting said supporting means toward and away from the chest to vary the ironing pressure and to cool the padding on the goods.

15. In an ironing machine, a heated ironing surface, an endless pressing means having spaced rigid backing means cooperable with said surface for performing a feeding and ironing operation, and continuous means acting on the backing ieans for preventing any portion of the endless pressing means in the ironing zone from moving away from the ironing surface and goods thereon, and for causing said pressing means to be pressure-engagedwith every portion of the goods on the ironing surface throughout the ironing operation.

. PATRICK A. BAYLESS. 

